An appointment with my breast doctor this morning handed me another opportunity to be filled with gratitude. All day I have been trying to live in that moment of knowing that this worry of a thing I have been living with these past three or four weeks is not the thing I was most concerned with.
So part of today has been spent thinking of ways that I can live in that place of gratefulness and grace and, in that arena of the mind, I realized that I had done something this time that I had never done in the past. I had not shared my worry, I had not spread it around like a layer of thick molasses weighing down every conversation.....with the exception of Tom I am not sure that anyone was aware that I was in the midst of a worrisome time. Anyone who is a worrier will know exactly what I mean when I say how big of a gift that was not only to the people who didn't have to hear about it but to me was well.
Here are the ways that I came up with...well my top choices anyway...to get out of worry and be grateful:
1. Pass it along. Show those around you how grateful you are to have them in your life. Don't take them or your relationship with them for granted.
2. Create through the breathless moments of the worry. Doodle, draw, paint, ink, stamp, write. Take the negative energy of worry and turn it into a positive by allowing it to get your creativity flowing. Believe me I know how hard it is but force yourself to do it.
3. Visit with friends on the phone, via email or in person. It takes your mind off of things and passes the time in a wonderfully positive way. It also helps you to realize how huge your close circle of chosen family is...nestle in that knowledge.
4. Accept that being imperfect is just part of what makes you perfect to those that love you and accept you. Getting stressed out over things that don't mean a hill of beans only compounds things.
5. Pray, talk or sing to whomever your Highter Power is. Don't have a Higher Power? Journal your feelings but just get it out.
6. Be thankful in whatever form that means to you.
I am grateful that somewhere someone will read this and it will help. That they will read my words and be reminded to do their monthly self exams and get an annual mammogram. It's important, we are important, you are important.
I am grateful for you.
xo,
Lesley
